Music Musings: Live Your Life…

“Music makes us want to live. You don’t know how many times people have told me that they’d been down and depressed and just wanted to die. But then a special song caught their ear and that helped give them renewed strength. That’s the power music has.” Mary J. Blige

“Live Your Life” by Yuna Lyrics via azlyrics.com
Find your light
Don’t hide from what you are
And rise before you fall
And hope for something more
Live if you really want to
Live if you really want to
Live if you really want to

All my life I’ve been looking for something amazing
It’s almost like I’ve been stargazing
The sky is right above me

We were meant for something bigger than this
Don’t ever try to dismiss yourself cause you don’t have to (Full lyrics @ bottom of post)

When I think of songs that describe my life, including what my future entails, even my kids will testify that Mary J Blige, Sade, Annie Lennox, Nina Simone, and a host of heavy hitting female powerhouse voices feature heavily on my playlist. However, for this post, I’ve decided to give a nod to some of the newer voices that speak to me too. My kids love their sounds and so do I. Yuna has a special quality about her and her music is captivating. Her “Live Your Life” lyrics speak to my life philosophy too. Check her out.

“Music is an extraordinary vehicle for expressing emotion – very powerful emotions. That’s what draws millions of people towards it. And, um, I found myself always going for these darker places and – people identify with that.” Annie Lennox

“Hold On” by Alabama Shakes Lyrics via azlyrics.com
Bless my heart.
Bless my soul.
Didn’t think I’d make it to 22 years old.
There must be someone up above sayin’
“Come on Brittany, you got to come on up.”
“You got to hold on…”
“Hey, you got to hold on…”

So, bless my heart and bless yours too.
I don’t know where I’m gonna go
Don’t what what I’m gonna do.
Well, must be somebody up above sayin’
“Come on Brittany, you got to come on up!”
“You got to hold on…”
“Hey, you got to hold on…”

“Yeah! You got to wait!”
“Yeah! You got to wait!”
But I don’t wanna wait!
No, I don’t wanna wait…(Full lyrics @ bottom of post)

There was a period in my life when “Hold On” was my sole motto… The teen years can be an incredibly challenging time; especially when we believe we can fly, but we don’t have quite enough gas for the road or real wings to take us where we think we should be going. It was a difficult time in my life and I seriously wanted out… But something greater than me took charge and Hold On became my unspoken mantra…. So this song fits nicely. Plus Brittany’s voice is so soulful and real that I find her words grounding and satisfying. More below!

“I had spent many years pursuing excellence, because that is what classical music is all about… Now it was dedicated to freedom, and that was far more important.” Nina Simone

“Sweet Life” by Frank Ocean Lyrics via azlyrics.com
The best song wasn’t the single, but you weren’t either
Livin’ in Ladera Heights, the black Beverly Hills
Domesticated paradise, palm trees and pools
The water’s blue, swallow the pill

You’ve had a landscaper and a house keeper since you were born
The starshine always kept you warm
So why see the world, when you got the beach
Don’t know why see the world, when you got the beach
The sweet life…(Full lyrics @ bottom of post)

Frank Ocean’s mellifluous voice is so soothing that one can’t help but smile when he sings. I picked two songs because they both spoke to me in a special way… I love “Sweet Life” because it speaks to both my past, present and future… Who wouldn’t want a Sweet Life in their latter years? “Swim Good” offers comfort even under trying circumstances and when the road gets rougher, implores us: Don’t die. Works for me… So Frank Ocean, keep those lyrical tunes coming. Since his first name – Frank – is part of my last name, he won’t forget to keep it real and upbeat. Stay Inspired! What are your thoughts? What music describes your life story? What music are you listening to? Do you have any favorites that describe your life? Would you recommend some new tunes for the future? Do share! Thank you. :-)

This post was inspired by a prompt from WP Daily Post: Daily Prompt: Mix Tape. Put together a musical playlist of songs that describe your life, including what you hope your future entails.

*Please bear with me as I continue to catch up on your blogs and commenting… Thank you all for your patience! :-)

Positive Motivation Tip: Music is memory’s right hand; it pulls all our important life phases together with appropriate music scores to boot. :-)

Live Your Life… Yuna
“Live Your Life” Lyrics via azlyrics.com
Find your light
Don’t hide from what you are
And rise before you fall
And hope for something more
Live if you really want to
Live if you really want to
Live if you really want to

All my life I’ve been looking for something amazing
It’s almost like I’ve been stargazing
The sky is right above me

We were meant for something bigger than this
Don’t ever try to dismiss yourself cause you don’t have to

Find your light
Don’t hide from what you are
And rise before you fall
And hope for something more
Live if you really want to
Live if you really want to
Live if you really want to

All my life my dreams just seemed so far away
And now it’s like they’re here to stay
I hold it close to me

We were meant for something bigger than this
Don’t ever try to dismiss yourself cause you don’t have to

Find your light
Don’t hide from what you are
And rise before you fall
And hope for something more
Live if you really want to
Live if you really want to
Live if you really want to
[x2]

So, bless my heart and bless yours too.
I don’t know where I’m gonna go
Don’t what what I’m gonna do.
Well, must be somebody up above sayin’
“Come on Brittany, you got to come on up!”
“You got to hold on…”
“Hey, you got to hold on…”

“Yeah! You got to wait!”
“Yeah! You got to wait!”
But I don’t wanna wait!
No, I don’t wanna wait…

So, bless my heart and Bless my mind.
I got so much to do, I ain’t got much time
So, must be someone up above saying
“Come on girl! You got to get back up!”
“You got to hold on…”
“Hey, you got to hold on…”

“Yeah! You got to wait!”
“Yeah! You got to wait!”
But I don’t wanna wait!
No, I don’t wanna wait!

You’ve had a landscaper and a house keeper since you were born
The starshine always kept you warm
So why see the world, when you got the beach
Don’t know why see the world, when you got the beach
The sweet life

The best song wasn’t the single, but you couldn’t turn your radio down
Satellite need a receiver, can’t seem to turn the signal fully off
Transmitting the waves
You’re catching that breeze ’til you’re dead in the grave

But you’re keepin’ it surreal, whatever you like
Whatever feels good, whatever takes you mountain high
Keepin’ it surreal, not sugar-free, my tv ain’t HD, that’s too real
Grapevines, mango, peaches and lime, a sweet life

A sweet life
A sweet life, yeah
A sweet life, a sweet life
A sweet life
Live and die in the life

You’ve had a landscaper and a house keeper since you were born, yeah
The starshine always kept you warm
So why see the world, when you got the beach
Don’t know why see the world, when you got the beach

And the water, is exactly what I wanted
It’s everything I thought it would be (Thought it would be)
But this neighborhood is gettin’ trippier every day
The neighborhood is goin’ ape shit crazy

You’ve had a landscaper and a house keeper since you were born
The starshine always kept you warm
So why see the world, when you got the beach
Don’t know why see the world, when you got the beach
The sweet life

Swim Good Lyrics via Rapgenius.com
That’s a pretty big trunk on my Lincoln town car, ain’t it?
Big enough to take these broken hearts and put ’em in it
Now I’m driving ’round on the boulevard, trunk bleeding
And every time the cops pull me over, they don’t ever see them
And I’ve got this black suit on
Roaming around like I’m ready for a funeral
Five more miles ’til the road runs out

I’m about to drive in the ocean
I’mma try to swim from something bigger than me
Kick off my shoes and swim good, and swim good
Take off this suit and swim good, and swim good, good

Got some pretty good beats on this 808 CD, yeah
Memory seats I’m sitting on stay heated
I woulda put tints on my windows but what’s the difference
If I feel like a Ghost, no Swayze, ever since I lost my baby
I’ve had this black suit on
Roaming around like I’m ready for a funeral
One more mile ’til the road runs out